McCain emphasizes gas-tax holiday again, rails against 'elites'
By Steve Benen Tuesday Jun 03, 2008 12:40pm
Honestly, it’s like deja vu all over again.
Right at the top of his remarks before taking questions from the Nashville crowd — where regular unleaded goes for about $3.85 — McCain said he wanted to discuss “what’s on everybody’s mind, the price of oil.”
McCain said he was struck by the loud opposition by “the elites in this country.”
“The hysterical reaction was a little bit funny,” he said. In Washington, McCain noted, “the wealthiest people live in Georgetown” and can walk downtown to work. By contrast, he said, the lowest-income workers live the furthest away.
McCain explained that Barack Obama had called the plan “a gimmick”
“Well, I’d like to have some more quote gimmicks to give low-income Americans some relief,” he jabbed back.
I keep thinking about an item Time’s Joe Klein wrote about a month ago. Klein, a McCain admirer, predicted that McCain would avoid the cheap and pathetic style of campaigning we’re seeing now. McCain, Klein said, “sees the tawdry ceremonies of politics — the spin and hucksterism — as unworthy.” If he doesn’t, “McCain will have to live with the knowledge that in the most important business of his life, he chose expediency over honor. That’s probably not the way he wants to be remembered.”
Klein was mistaken. McCain has seen the tawdry ceremonies of politics — the spin and hucksterism — and has come to believe that Americans are just dumb enough to fall for the con. McCain almost certainly knows that this gas-tax idea is ridiculous, and he has to realize that railing against the “elites” for acknowledging reality is a special kind of stupid.
And yet, McCain peddles nonsense anyway, hoping voters won’t know the difference. That his proposal wouldn’t do anything to help low-income Americans, wouldn’t lower the price of gas, and would boost oil company profits seems entirely irrelevant. A confidence man in the middle of a scam can’t be bothered with reality — it only gets in the way of the deception.
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McCarney!
But "peddling nonsense" has worked sooooooo well in the past.
I think someone with 8 houses would know something about elitism.
That picture has a look of determination and commitment to support the troops. He's going shopping and he's ready to buy your vote.
Gas tax holiday takes money from the highway dept that fixes our road infrastructure. It also employs people.
Yeah thats cut that funding for a few months.
McHuckster?
Another fine bit of judgement from McSame. People are finally ditching their SUVs...driving less....walking more....and this senile skidmark wants to reverse that.
As far as "elites"...what does that mean? People who graduated from college, ask questions, read books, and travel to encounter other cultures? Guess that makes me 100% elitist. And I can live with that label, thank you very much.
McSame should look around a little on his next limo ride to capitol hill.
McGrampa owns six homes and flies around in a private jet and complains about "elites". Pure comedy.
The Truth Hurts @ 7:
Elitists wear eyeglasses.
And he's probably the most boring speaker I've ever heard. I thought he was going to fall asleep in the middle of his speech last night. Ugh...I know I did!
Klein was mistaken? You *don't* say!
aimai
Pol Pot-O-Cheesesauce @ 10:
And drink starbucks.
John McCain has been peddling nonsense for some time now.
McCain takes his cues from his puppet masters. He has nothing authentic left to offer.
Pol Pot-O-Cheesesauce @ 10:
Damn! I'm only elite when I'm reading then.
An Average Joe @ 11:
That's so elitist of you.
... and McCain went on to say, "and I should know a thing or two about elites, take my wife Cindy for instance. She has earned more money off of stocks in the last few years than most wage earners will make in a lifetime." McCain flashed a smile and paused in anticipation of applause, but an awkard silence fell over the auditorium.
This quote is also moronic because anyone living in D.C. for any period of time (including McCain) knows that Georgetown has no metro access and is certainly not easily accessible to the major downtown working areas of DC by foot, especially in the summer heat. In contrast, the metro system extends pretty far outside the city and many, many people from "far away" ride the comfortable, air-conditioned metro to work everyday.
An Average Joe @ 11:
saw that.
man, I thought BUSH was a disaster in front of a teleprompter. McSame makes Bush look competent.
It's clear that NO ONE in the McSame camp is listening...EVEN CHEENEY came out yesterday and said McSame's idea on the gas tax was lame!
Need to get their Kool-Aide trucks on the same route....teehee...
ScrewBush @ 18:
He was alone but unaware of it.
I just can't wait for the Obama/McCain debates. He'll have McCain looking like Jim Stockdale.
WhalersFan @ 5:
That was the same thought that I had. The "elites" MCain is refering to are actually the Federal and state Governments. The "elites" (meaning the rich) that people think McCain is talking about have money to cover gasoline costs no matter what the amount. Cutting gasoline taxes on gasoline prices which are always historically high during the summer months will help no one. In fact, it will further reduce the tax revenues of the Federal and state Governments which are already running in the red.
RB-Chicago @ 21:
Get 'em all on that there NAFTA highway
Remove that tax for a few months and watch the speculators raise the price of crude/gasoline. Here we go with the elite smear..........Obama isn't going to let it fly.
Dr. Hussien Matt @ 17:
Am I bitter cause I'm an elitist...or an elitist because I'm bitter?
I'm so confused.
casper46 @ 3:
Yep, you'd think ... McSame is a hypocrite, rich guys flying around in private jets know all about it.
McSame .... 4 more Years !!! ....... NOT
Speaking of the price of oil, I received this interesting email today. Thought I'd share it. I have always used Shell myself, thinking it WASN'T Middle-eastern oil. Is this true?
WHERE TO BUY AMERICAN GASOLINE. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW. READ ON.
Gas rationing in the 70's worked even though we grumbled about it. It might even have been good for us!
Are you aware that the Saudis are boycotting American products? In addition, they are gouging us on oil prices.
Shouldn't we return the favor? Can't we take control of our own destiny and let these giant oil importers know who REALLY generates their profits, their livings? How about leaving American Dollars in America and reduce the import/export deficit?
An appealing remedy might be to boycott their GAS. Every time you fill up your car you can avoid putting more money into the coffers of Saudi Arabia . Just purchase gas from companies that don't import their oil from the Saudis.
Nothing is more frustrating than the feeling that every time I fill up my tank, I'm sending my money to people who I get the impression want me, my family and my friends dead. The following gas companies import Middle Eastern oil:
Shell..................................... 205,742,000 barrels
Chevron/Texaco.................... 144,332,000 barrels
Exxon /Mobil........................ 130,082,000 barrels
Marathon/Speedway.............. 117,740,000 barrels
Amoco................................... 62,231,000 barrels
And CITGO oil is imported from Venezuela by Dictator Hugo Chavez who hates America and openly avows our economic destruction! (We pay Chavez's regime nearly $10 Billion per year in oil revenues!)
The U.S. currently imports 5,517,000 barrels of crude oil per day from OPEC. If you do the math at $100 per barrel, that's over $550 million PER DAY ($200 BILLION per year!) handed over to OPEC, many of whose members are our confirmed enemies!!!!! It won't stop here - oil prices could go to $200 a barrel or higher if we keep buying their product.
Here are some large companies that do not import Middle Eastern oil:
Sunoco......................... 0 barrels
Conoco........................ 0 barrels
Sinclair....................... 0 barrels
BP / Phillips................ 0 barrels
Hess. ............................. 0 barrels
ARC0............................. 0 barrels
Maverick.......................... 0 barrels
Flying J. ......................... 0 barrels
Valero............................. 0 barrels
Murphy Oil USA * ............ 0 Sold at Wal-Mart , gas is from South Arkansas and fully USA owned and produced.
·*Not only that but they give scholarships to all children in their town who finish high school and are legal US citizens..
All of this information is available from the U.S. Department of Energy and each company is required to state where they get their oil and how much they are importing.
But to have a real impact, we need to reach literally millions of gas buyers With the help of the internet, it's really simple to do. Now, don't wimp out at this point....keep reading and I'll explain how simple it is to reach millions of people!!
I'm sending this note to about thirty people. If each of you send it to at only ten more (30 x 10 = 300)....and those 300 send it to at least ten more (300 x 10 = 3,000)....and so on, by the time the message reaches the sixth generation of people, we will have reached over THREE MILLION consumers!!!!!!!
If those three million get excited and pass this on to ten friends each, then 30 million people will have been contacted! If it goes one level further, you guessed it...THREE HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE-the entire population of the United States of America !!!!
So McCain wants the elites of America to pay for the gas tax deficit?
Cool! Thanks, John!
How in the name of @$^& is someone who wants to get elected in November
going to create a tax holiday in July?
Are people really that dumb or is it just me?
Liberal AND Proud @ 27:
Maybe you are bitter because you are confused by your elitisim?
petespaul @ 19:
I was just going to mention that. It's a complete falsehood. But then again, I'm sure John McCain has better things to do than look out his limo window and notice that.
I bet McCain never even had thos concept of "elites" until the RNC drummed it into his heads. For a guy who's married to a woman worth more than 100 mil he's got a lot of nerve calling anyone elite.
Almost sounds like an album title: "A Special Kind of Stupid- The Many Moods of John McCain"
theWalrus @ 23:
Be careful, that's how Chimpy "wins" a debate. It's all about keeping expectations low. We all know he's a moronic, coke-fried, alcoholic, frat boy pinhead...but as long as he doesn't pick his nose and drool, he wins.
That's what Obama will have to deal with, sky high expectations...which the GOP will just love to play up. Then when McSame comes out and delivers an average performance, everyone will proclaim him the winner.
Instead of 18 cents a gallon the federal gas tax should have been much higher for the last 30 years.
Maybe more like 60 cents a gallon.
And use the proceeds to develop alternative means of transportation and heating.
But Americans chose Reagan over Carter and now we're reaping the bitter harvest of our collective greed.
Fanon @ 32:
Reich-wingers believe a "confused" person has teh gay...hence, apropos, vis-à-vis you are elitist because you have teh bitter gay.
I wonder if McCain has any info or can get to the bottom of
that ELITE July 2001 Cheney "Secret Energy Meeting"...
Keep exposing that...
public policy should not be a secret...
nor should this....
Veterans Groups ‘Didn’t Have That Much Input’ On ‘Very Partisan’ Graham-McCain GI Bill
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/06/04/veterans-mccain-gi-bill/
earl @ 31:
And wouldn't take office until late January next year !!!
I love how, like usual, the right wing inverts (or violently rapes) logic. “Elites” aren’t big business or capitalists who want to control you life. They aren’t the ones who justify anti-social and sociopathic behavior or destroy the environment and undermine democracies because of their short sighted self interest. They’re the folks who deal with facts and ideas. THOSE elites are the ones to watch out for, because they can point out what bold faced and manipulative liars people like McCain and the Wall Street folks who own him are…I mean they’re latte drinking yuppies who think they know what’s best. Something like that.
They CERTAINLY don't eat at Applebees.
earl @ 31:
They're going to use the Bush hydrogen car to travel back in time.
That John McCain keeps pandering this stuff is incredible. John McCain thinks a fake gas tax in July will solve anything, or even help him in November?
Oh, and talk about pandering, John McCain John McCain continues to pander to the right while trying to somehow remain in the middle. John McCain says he wants to make abortion illegal. John McCain wants to overturn Roe v. Wade.
I don't trust John McCain on domestic issues, whether it be on the economy (gas tax ridiculousness an example of his ineptness) or social.
I won't be voting for John McCain .
MountainMan23 @ 40:
No they're not, but the Republicans are hoping they are. If the Republicans and the corporate media are dragged into actually discussing issues they're toast.
Dr. Hussien Matt @ 38:
Reich-wingers believe a "confused" person has teh gay...hence, apropos, vis-à-vis you are elitist because you have teh bitter gay.
Wow. I'm hated by the right on multiple counts. COOOOL!!
that's absolutely a snake-oil tactic. that's similar to a high school kid running for president of his class and he promises that if they vote for him, he will make sure that the cafeteria serves better food and there will be coca cola in the drinking fountains. oh yeah, and school will be dismissed at 3 not 3:30. MCSame promises a gas price relief in the form of a "holiday" or whatever. Cheap tactics. He needs to be called on this. Push him until he shows that temper he's been disguising so well. we need to see the real MCsame. What will he be like when he's cornered and questioned. How would he react at a different level in dealings with say China.
MountainMan23 @ 40:
I didn't get it when Hil was floating it ....
The problem isn't with the price of Oil. Europeans are having some rather decent prices on their gasoline lately.
The problem is the depreciation of the US dollar. And shaving off a couple dimes off the price of a gallon of gasoline isn't stepping toward a 'strong dollar' policy. Indeed, it's fiscally reckless -- which will further weaken the dollar, as it will require the feds to borrow more.
I like how he rails against the 'elites'. Which would those be? The ones making less then $100k a year? Mr 100 million dollars is railing against the 'elites'. What a joke. I live in Arizona. We all know what a panderer he is.
Liberal AND Proud @ 45:
I bet you don't wear a flag pin either.
McCain certainly proves once again, that he has no idea about economics or about the economy in general. Maybe he should take a look at Vallejo City, California's recent Chapter 9 bankruptcy filing (filed May 23, 2008) to see where his "tax holiday" will lead other cities and states across the country. Many cities and states are having a tough time already paying pensions and other expenditures. In fact, many are running huge deficits. McCain's plan will only hasten other city and state chapter 9 filings.
Fanon @ 32:
Nah, he must be an elitist because he's bitter about his confusion.
McBush trying to buy votes for 18.4¢ per gallon.
Epinnoia @ 48:
I agree.
no longer a proud american @ 46:
McSames handlers will have to really dope him up for the debates. Would hate to see his little temper on prime time TV.
Hates "elites", eh? So in his own mind he's just a poor, itty-bitty son of a four-star admiral who grew up to be a gigolo to a stinkin' rich beer magnate babe? Hey, it's _her_ money, not his so don't call _him_ rich?
And no Chateau Lafite-Rothschild for him! Budweiser all the way!
Epinnoia @ 48:
Decent?
Weekly Retail Premium Gasoline Prices (Including Taxes)
(U.S. Dollars per Gallon)
Date Belgium France Germany Italy Netherlands UK US
4/7/08 8.44 8.15 8.22 8.11 9.24 8.08
4/14/08 8.51 8.26 8.44 8.26 9.32 8.07 3.61
4/21/08 8.62 8.34 8.58 8.32 9.51 8.17 3.73
4/28/08 8.69 8.30 8.53 8.26 9.45 8.26 3.83
5/5/08 8.65 8.25 8.45 8.39 9.36 8.23 3.84
5/12/08 8.68 8.32 8.48 8.58 9.52 8.28 3.94
5/19/08 8.84 8.48 8.75 8.65 9.54 8.31 4.02
5/26/08 9.14 8.75 8.88 8.94 9.89 8.47 4.16
6/2/08
6/9/08
Dr. Hussien Matt @ 50:
Or eat at the (non-existent)Appelbee's salad bar.....
...'Peddles nonsense'... Yep... And I'm getting tired of hearing his shit and looking at his mug peddling it...It's all getting old, like him... Old, weak and pathetic.... Bail out and go home gramps... Just go home.... You're not even worth wasting my time cussing at you anymore....JD
Gas Tax Holiday is completely retarded.
If the government is in the red, then ANY "gas tax rebate" is NOT A REBATE. It's a DEBT. The gov't will have to BORROW the money to pay the rebate. Because it's a debt, interest will be compound, and be paid, and over time it comes out as a multiple of what you borrowed.
Anyone who buys into the Gas Tax Rebate/suspension/whatever is a MORON.
After seeing his pic again, his new name is McTurkeyneck.
This guy is outright dangerous because he is a knowing and deceitful liar, in the vein of Cheney, Lieberman, and Rove. Bush is just plain stupid. At least Cheney called the gas tax holiday an idiotic idea but that doesn't mean he is trying to practice honest discourse.
Yep that's me - elite, a 20 grand a year farm hand - I must be according to mcinsane since I'm well aware his Gas Tax Holiday is as stupid as Governor Jim Douglas' Income Tax Holiday. The average American won't save enough from these schemes to take their family out to dinner but the wealthy will save thousands on them. Screw John Mccain and his millionaire sugarmamma.
of couse this is a gimmick.
both clinton and mccain have gone on and on and on about a 'tax holiday'.
yet, neither one has introduced a bill to make it happen. mccain is trying to buy votes without compensation.
Hey did they extend the tax cuts for the elites.......yet?
earl @ 57:
They probably do not buy oil from the middle east. The Bushies have established their price gouging agreements with their
murderous Saudi masters, and the following "American" oil companies import the high priced spread.
Daily volume of crude imported:
Shell………………………………. 205,742,000 barrels
Chevron/Texaco……………….. 144,332,000 barrels
Exxon /Mobil…………………… 130,082,000 barrels
Marathon/Speedway………….. 117,740,000 barrels
Amoco 62,231,000 barrels
I hope that Obama nationalizes these creeps. Their officers should be tried as war profiteers.
elites...
so, keeping score, let's review how our political and media hucksters view elitism.
you can be dripping with wealth and NOT be an elite. you can be a CEO and not be an elite. you can be a senator, a representative, a judge, have a syndicated column or television show and not be an elite. you can own yachts, vacation homes, run a hedge fund, vacation in dubai and not be considered an elite.
but, if you actually expose how the aforementioned are successfully skewing the economy to their favor then you are an elite.
How's about a tax holiday from the subsidies that the oil companies get and then raising taxes on billionaires (read Oil Barons)?
On the bright, the price of crude is slightly down today. It actually may close under or around $120/barrel today!
....don't you all feel better now?
Dr. Hussien Matt @ 50:
Hmmm...you don't really want me to answer that...do you. LOLOL!
My girlfriend prefers that I keep it on during our private moments.. Seems to increase her enjoyment.
Dr. Hussien Matt @ 69:
Wow! Now I can supersize my dinner!!!
What a douchebag. McCain is becoming a parody of himself.
Fucking clown.......
crshedd @ 64:
This is not a "gimmick", this is a total bankrupcy of economical politics/understanding/innovativity (not sure that last thing is a word, but you know what I mean!). Just like sending a 600$ cheque out for people to spend on crap, instead of attacking the root of the nations economical problems. Ideas like these are so stupid that it defies reason how people toting them can possibly be entrusted the position of running the largest economy in the world.
All people still wondering where all the money is going should read this
http://www.cannibalplanet.com/2008/06/oil-company-ceos-hit-hard-by-econo...
We are reaching the peak in global oil production. We reached the peak in discovery years ago, this will eventually catch to us. Oil will continue to increase in price relative to other things (including our incomes) because it is a nonrenewable that is being exhausted. Oil has the highest net energy benefit (energy return:energy invested) of all fuels. We don't have any equivalent substitutes. The best thing that can happen is for gas prices to remain high and increase so that we reorganize our lives for when this stuff is gone.
He's married to a beer baroness, how much more elite can you get?
McShame would be an embarrassment. Fortunately, the media will not be able to hide his senility forever.
73 Kald Says: crshedd @ 64:
of couse this is a gimmick.
both clinton and mccain have gone on and on and on about a ‘tax holiday’.
This is not a “gimmick”, this is a total bankrupcy of economical politics/understanding/innovativity (not sure that last thing is a word, but you know what I mean!). Just like sending a 600$ cheque...
In America, cheque is elitist
We call it a check
Or in Eastern Europe: a Czech.
Paul @ 72:
Like this?
http://images.tribe.net/tribe/upload/photo/cec/8aa/cec8aafc-829a-43b6-9e...
Whoever fed this to McCain if smart. The core message is that Obama, in calling the tax break a gimmick, doesn't care about middle america. The psycological focus is thus removed from the fact that the ploy IS a gimmick and shifted over to Obama, labeling him an elitist.
It is called imperialism due to American style of capitalism
It is the prevailing American paradigm of both parties
What is needed in America is a paradigm shift i.e. change the very foundation of our system of beliefs
Neither party offers or understands this needed paradigm shift
The decline will continue until the majority of Americans see this need for a paradigm shift. It will take decades for this to occur
Almost always this paradigm shift must come from those outside the existing paradigm
Whether demo or repub wins in nov little will change within this existing American paradigm
It will have the appearance of change but this change will occur within the existing paradigm, which is the very system of beliefs that got us into this decline.
If we do not know that we do not know problems arise: negative ignorance
and
If we think we know but do not know major problems arise: positive ignorance
We Americans suffer from both negative and positive ignorance but lean more towards positive ignorance the hardest to overcome.
We continue to dance with who brought us to the dance while we decline morally and economically. This is a common human and societal phenomena not just suited to Americans.
End result: bye bye middle class. corp and media and gov fascism cannot be stopped by those within the existing paradigm.
There is no oil shortage. There are speculators raping consumers and enjoying it. Sick bastards.
I'm probably alone in this one, but to me the worst part of that speech was, contra to McCain's assertions, those "elites" who live in Georgetown really can't walk to work. It's about 15-20 blocks to the White House and downtown, depending on where you're coming from (I'm using GU as my reference point), and about a 20-30 minute walk to Dupont circle. Maybe if you define downtown as Foggy Bottom, it could be walkable, but not really likely for most people, especially in the unceasing misery that is the DC summer. An exceedingly minor and trivial point, but if McCain will lie about something like that, is there anything he can get right?
ysbaddaden @ 75:
You are only an elitist if you are married to a ketchup baroness.
The reich-wing MSM is such hypocrites. They attached Kerry over and over for his wife's wealth.....but not a peep about McGrampa's wife who he affectionately calls a "C U Next Tuesday".
earl @ 57:
Yes, decent. I didn't say that their prices were not rising. But the problems are further exacerbated in the USA because of a weak dollar.
"The immediate catalyst for the spike in energy prices is the drop in the value of the dollar. Currency traders are selling dollars and buying euros to take advantage of the difference in interest rates between the United States and Europe.
The dollar weakened, continuing its steep decline of last week, and the euro rose to a record $1.5274 in early New York trading. The dollar also fell to its lowest level in three years versus the yen."
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/03/business/econ.4-233012.php
What